TOWSON, Md. – Sophomore Derrick Joseph (McDonough H.S./LaPlata, Md.) of Towson University has been named as the Colonial Athletic Association Special Teams Player of the Week, it has been announced by CAA officials.

Joseph, the CAA leader in kickoff returns, was also named as the National Kickoff Returner of the Week by College Sports Performance. This marks the second time in his career he has been named as the CAA Specialist of the Week.

In the Tigers’ 46-17 victory over St. Francis (Pa.) on Saturday night, Joseph had two kickoff returns for 148 yards and a touchdown.After the Tigers fell behind, 7-0, Joseph took the ensuing kickoff at the Towson one-yard line and ran down the near sideline for a touchdown to tie the game.

It was the second-longest kickoff return in school history, topped only by David Meggett’s 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the Tigers’ 45-34 win over Northeastern in the 1988 season.

In the second quarter, Joseph had a 49-yard kickoff return to set up a 39-yard touchdown drive that resulted in a three-yard TD run by sophomore Terrance West (Northwestern H.S./Baltimore, Md.).

A second team All-Colonial Athletic Association selection last year, Joseph is averaging 34.7 yards per kickoff return this season, tops in the CAA. He also ranks fifth in NCAA FCS in kickoff return average.

In his brief career, he has returned 42 kickoffs for 1,221 yards and a 29.1 average.

When he returned a kickoff for a touchdown against St. Francis, he became the second player in school history to return a pair of kickoffs for touchdowns in his career. Joseph, who had a 93-yard kickoff return for a TD in 2011, tied the record for career kickoff returns for touchdown, a mark set by Meggett and matched by Maurice Sydnor.

Joseph’s kickoff return marked the seventh time in school history that a Tiger had a kickoff return for a TD.

In 1985, Mike Barth became the first Towson player with a kickoff return for a touchdown when he had a 96-yard return for a touchdown in a win over American International.

In 1988, Meggett had a 100-yard return against Northeastern and an 84-yard return at Howard, helping the Tigers to a pair of wins.

Sydnor had a pair of kickoff returns for touchdowns in his career. In 1993, he had an 86-yard kickoff return for a touchdown against Charleston Southern. Two years later, he accomplished the feat again as his 89-yard kickoff return for a TD helped the Tigers trim Butler, 34-3.

Towson is 7-0 when someone returns a kickoff for a touchdown.

The Tigers, now 2-1, return to action on Saturday night, Sept. 29 when they visit No. 2 Louisiana State.

– TowsonTigers.com –

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